A Warrior's Mind
by TheAlph
Summary: What happens to Cybertron when Optimus Prime and his team leave in the Ark to never return? This is an untold story about those left behind and how they strive to live in a war torn world. Many original characters mixed in with some old.


The landscape before Windcharger was strewn with bodies of the dead; their armor, weapons and Energon stripped cycles ago. Most were Autobots, mechs who fought and died alongside the great Optimus Prime before Windcharger was created while others were unfortunate souls who found themselves in the wrong place. Whatever the case may be it was a good area for bots like Windcharger to hide out.

Once he spotted a familiar landmark; a bright spot of purple paint splashed against a wall he looked for any tail. After making sure the coast was clear Windcharger quickly lifted a panel off the ground and jumped down into a tunnel. Before he moved any farther Windcharger placed the panel back just as he found it.

"'Bout time you show back up."

Windcharger spun around to see the towering form of Torque bent nearly in half and filling up the width of the tunnel. Torque once worked the mines until he was chosen as experiment fonder for Shockwave. Now he bore the blended insignia of the Deceptibots, an image that most on Cybertron didn't trust.

"It's getting harder and harder to find supplies." Windcharger began to make his way down the tunnel, his footsteps echoing back to him. "Shockwave has a tight leash on everything including corpses. I'm actually surprised he hasn't picked this area clean."

"He's gotta be desperate to search here, especially since there are fresh bodies dropping nearly every day at Iacon."

Windcharger shook his head. "Just wish I can help with the fighting."

"You know as well as I do that once you start showing off that ability of yours Shockwave's troops will come searching for you."

"And what am I doing with it hiding here?"

Torque slapped Windcharger's shoulder with a large hand nearly knocking the smaller bot to the ground.

"Protecting our sorry tailpipes."

Windcharger chuckled. "I thought that's why you were here."

He made his way through the tunnel until he came upon a large, underground room. Here he spotted Pipes, Inferno and Trace sitting at a table prepping their weapons while chatting about the day. From the sounds of it today was uneventful with only one skirmish near Tyger Pax.

Beaker came up to Windcharger, a grim look on his face. "Found another Outlier today, he's pretty messed up."

Windcharger shook his head. "Another one of Shockwave's experiments?"

"Yeah, a Decepticon, bot by the name of Naito."

"Where is he now?"

"Repair bay. He had many augmentations done to his optics and audio processors which is causing his systems to overload. It will take some time for him to adapt so in the meantime I recommend him to remain in repair bay."

Torque grumbled as he made his way past Windcharger towards the Energon reserves. "Just another bot to fuel."

Windcharger brought his attention back to Beaker, who was studying a small data pad. "So, you said he was an Outlier? What is his ability?"

Beaker looked up from the data pad, concern on his face. "He can make himself invisible. Which means with the new augmentations he is a deadly weapon."

**XXXX**

A loud bang made Naito jump to his boots, knives out ready for a fight. But as he looked around all he saw was medical equipment. Where the slag is he? Naito was about to put the knives away when a sudden wave of noise brought him to his knees. He dropped the weapons so he could grasp his audio receptors.

"What is happening to me?" Naito balled into a fetal position as the noises seem to actually cause him pain. "Make it stop! Please!"

**XXXX**

The screams quickly brought Windcharger back to the repair bay but when he arrived he saw no one in the room which meant only one thing. Ever so slowly he made his way forward while charging the magnetic poles inside his arms. He didn't need a big charge just enough to hopefully pinpoint Naito's general position.

"I heard screaming. Is everything okay?" Asked Jolt, another team member of Windcharger's.

Windcharger nodded. "Yes, but be ready just in case."

Jolt nodded as he made his way to Windcharger's side, a smirk on his face. "Heard it was a Decepticon sniper."

"Was, being the key word. After what they did to him I don't think he'll be on their side anymore." Windcharger slowly brought his hands up and instantly felt a tug to his left. "Left side of the room, maybe in the corner."

"On it."

Windcharger watched as the young Autobot slowly made his way forward, his arms crackling with blue light. Jolt had the ability to control large amounts of energy and had an amazing talent with it. Not only was he able to harness that by using his whips he could also simply shock someone into stasis just by touching them.

"No, please!" Came a deep voice from the corner. "No more!"

Jolt held his hands up as he made his way forward, his body tense ready for action. "Just relax, we're here to help out."

There was a sound of metal scraping against the floor and before both bots could react Jolt was slammed to the ground with a loud thud. Fortunately for the younger Autobot Naito was still weak making it easier for him to subdue the Decepticon. As Jolt sent a shock through his attacker's systems their cloaking ability was suppressed revealing a thin gray and purple robot.

Windcharger knelt beside Jolt and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "I'll get Torque and have him help you get Naito into the brig."

**XXXX**

As Naito's systems came on-line he was greeted with a slight buzzing sound that caused him to cringe. What was that and would it ever stop? When it continued he began to hum aloud hoping to block it out. Just as he was getting accustomed to the noise something else began to happen.

"What the slag?" Naito slowly lifted his arm and shook his head. "When did I get infrared vision?"

"See, you are awake."

Naito shifted his optics until he saw glowing bars and body. "Where am I? What has happened to me?"

"You're safe, hidden in a bunker far beneath the surface of Cybertron. You were experimented on by Shockwave and given the Deceptibot badge as proof."

"Then you are an Autobot!" Naito went for his knifes but quickly noticed he was weaponless making him angry. "What have you done with my knives and rifle?"

The Autobot shook his head. "They're locked up." He took a deep breath as he leaned in close to the bars, his image one big blur of orange and red. "How are you doing with the augmentations?"

Naito shook his head as he sat down on the bench, his optics going to his glowing hands. "What did he do to me?" A loud noise made him grimace and curl into the corner. "Can you help me?"

"Yes, that is what we plan on doing." The bars disappeared allowing a small bot to come into the cell. "Will you promise not to fight us?" Naito nodded. "Good, follow me."

**XXXX**

Somewhere else in the bunker Windcharger set in a small hab-suite studying an old data-pad he discovered yesterday. Most of the information was corrupt but what he did salvage was intriguing. It was an old archive file, useless to many but not to Windcharger.

Ever since he was created and was aware of his surroundings Windcharger has been intrigued by the past especially the myths about Optimus Prime. And this pad had info on a mission involving Optimus Prime and many of his key men including Jazz, Ironhide and Prowl.

As Windcharger read the briefing he could see why Optimus was hailed as such a great commander. The decisions he had made, the way he led his men was just astounding and hasn't been seen since. Will there ever be a leader like him again?

"Not another data-pad." Trace came into the room and slumped down onto his hab-suite with a sigh. "Don't you ever get tired of them?"

Windcharger shook his head. "Not at all." He lifted the device, a huge smile on his face. "This is our history."

Trace grabbed the pad to get a look at it. "They are just tales to stop new recruits from quaking in their boots. Nothing more."

"Then why do the Wreckers still fight so hard?"

"Because that is what they do." Trace handed the pad back to Windcharger, concern on his face. "You gotta get your head out of the clouds. Optimus Prime and The Ark disappeared Vorns ago. There is hardly anybody alive who personally knew the crew."

Windcharger put the pad with the others on a shelf then laid down on his recharge slab. "How is Naito? Is Beaker able to help him out?"

"Possibly but the augmentations done to him were brutal kind of like what happened to me." As Trace said this he pointed to his missing left optic hidden by an extension of his helmet. "Just another lost soul to wonder around with no direction."

"Not so." Windcharger quickly got up, grabbed another data-pad and handed it to Trace. "I secret project that was started by Optimus but never gained ground. Rumors are that Ultra Magnus might reactivate it."

"Are you serious? Sonicblaze and his men are certifiably insane. Even your precious Wreckers won't even work with them."

Windcharger snapped the pad back, his optics studying the image of the bot named Echo. "They knew Optimus, he trusted them. Even through all their faults he saw something great in them."


End file.
